But the biggest obstacle Rutgers’ junior wide receiver may have to overcome just might be staring back at him from the mirror every morning.

Harrison, at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and a self-proclaimed “laid-back guy,” tends to take things as they come. That’s fine off the field. On it, the Scarlet Knights coaching staff is constantly pushing him to be more aggressive and more assertive.

And to basically be a different person.

“I feel like Mark is in a battle with himself to be more aggressive,” said fellow wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. “Once he wins that battle all the time, he will be unstoppable.”

Harrison understands why he’s a source for constant prodding by the coaching staff to be more consistent in his mental approach to the game. Despite coming from almost nowhere (five catches for 83 yards) as a freshman to become one of the Big East’s most feared receivers last year (44 catches for 829 yards and nine touchdowns), he knows there’s plenty of room for improvement.

“I love the fact that they’re lighting a fire under me all the time because it’s going to help me,” Harrison said. “If they weren’t doing that I’d have something to worry about, because they wouldn’t think I had potential. So even though I had a big year I’m getting pushed every day and the coaches have me focused on getting better.”

Harrison’s hope is that the cajoling will pay dividends starting with Thursday’s opener, when North Carolina Central visits High Point Solutions Stadium.

But last year, as big as it was (he had a 240-yard receiving game against Cincinnati), is a distant memory as far as he’s concerned.

“I really don’t want to talk about last season,” he said. “That’s not where my focus is because I’m looking to improve this year, not think about what I did last year.

“I’m really trying to focus on what I can do to make myself better.”

Physically, Harrison has the ability to be a next-level player. He’s big, fast and relishes contact. That’s why the coaching staff continues to get after him, knowing he is capable of so much more if the mental aspect ever catches up.

Sanu sees that as well.

“He’s a tremendous player with great ability,” he said. “It’s up to him to grasp that. He’s working toward doing that.”

Harrison enters the season also knowing that he has an established connection with quarterback Chas Dodd.

With Tom Savage as the starter the first four games last season (and locked in on Sanu too often), Harrison had five catches for 70 yards.

With Dodd as the starter for the final eight games, Harrison had 39 catches for 759 yards.

“We definitely work well together,” Harrison said. “But I know it’s still on me. I’m trying to raise my play by understanding the game at a higher level, reading coverages, making adjustments and running better routes. I know there’s a lot I can improve on if I set my mind to it.”